Two Uber drivers have been fined for illegally plying for trade in Reading.

Bruno Cardoso of Portlock Road, Maidenhead and Abrar Hussain of Cannon Gate, Slough were fined hundreds of pounds at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, May 26 after admitting breaking the rules and picking up customers without bookings.

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Uber operated an incentive scheme which guaranteed the first 150 drivers to log on in the Reading reward zone would be guaranteed between £15 and £25 per hour, depending on what time they were operating.

This encouraged Uber drivers travel to Reading but the prosecuted drivers chose to operate outside the rules, picking up customer illegally without bookings.

In March 2016 the global taxi app Uber had been refused a private hire operator licence in Reading, although drivers coming to Reading from other areas are still able to respond to requests in the town but only if passengers have booked via the app.

Councillor Sarah Hacker, Reading Borough's lead member for consumer services, said: "I would like to congratulate the council's licensing and legal teams for these successful prosecutions.